The star of Richard Francis, 60, was enshrined at Chicago Police Department headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Ave., just a few days after another officer, Nathaniel Taylor Jr., was shot and killed while on duty.

"Officer Francis gave his life serving and protecting the life of our city," Mayor Richard Daley said. "Whenever a police officer dies in the line of duty, we all share the pain."

There was a long line of public officials in the lobby, including three former police superintendents, along with Daley, and a few aldermen, including Ald. Issac Carothers, head of the City Council's Police and Fire Committee.

Francis' wife and two daughters also attended the ceremony for the 27-year veteran, whose star was the 462nd to be enshrined on the wall.

The remembrance had a particularly somber tone, in light of another officer's recent death on Sunday. Both the front and back windows of the building hung purple and black banners memorializing the deaths of Francis and Taylor.

"Another good cop has been abruptly taken from us," noted Police Supt. Jody Weis during his statements. "Both have made the ultimate sacrifice, and both will be remembered as outstanding police officers."

Francis, a 27-year veteran of the force, was on a seemingly routine assignment, patrolling alone in July, when he was shot and killed in a struggle with a woman who had caused a disturbance with a CTA bus passenger less than a block from the Belmont District police station where Francis worked.

The suspect, Robin Johnson, was charged with first-degree murder of a police officer, four counts of attempted murder of a police officer and disarming an officer.